Demonic Angel
by Iris Starwind
Summary: [COMPLETE] When Kagome's day goes from bad to worse, she absentmindedly makes a wish for help. But what will she do when her wish is granted, and by the most unlikely person? INKAG


When the urge to write comes to me, I feel compelled to open up the laptop and type away.

Which is exactly how this fic came to be. I had penned the idea in my notebook months ago,

and I knew I wanted to keep it short, but other stories occupied my thoughts and time.

But when I needed a break from 'My Private Detective', I decided to give this story a shot.

And when I completed it in one day, I was deliriously happy. One day! I had never written

anything so quickly.

True, this fic could be longer, but I kept it short on purpose. I want you, the reader, to draw

conclusions from things that have been left unsaid. I'd like for you to decide what happened

in the spaces between the paragraphs, and just imagine. And if you have the chance, I recommend

playing some of the more sad, melancholic music from the Inuyasha series in the

background while you read. It certainly helped me get in the mood of the story.

I know when I opened this story back up and read it a few days after I had typed it, I

imagined myself in Kagome's shoes. And I can't say that I would do anything different if I

were her. What an incredible situation to be placed in! I could just see the cherry blossoms in the air...

Anyway, I have taken enough of your time.

With sincere thanks,

_Selene, aka Iris Starwind_

* * *

----Demonic Angel----

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Monday

-----------------------------------------------------------

Here it was, Monday morning, and Kagome had already ruined her new shoes in a puddle of mud, fallen

on the pavement and scuffed up her knees, forgotten her lunch, and lost five dollars. It was a safe bet that

today would be one of those days when everything that could go wrong would, and when everything that

could go right wouldn't. With a sigh, she sat at her desk, glancing up when the teacher waved a pop quiz

paper in her face. Perfect.

Kagome Higurashi was one of those people who always had an upbeat personality, but today, she just felt

like running home to hide under her covers for a week.

_'Could this day get any worse,'_ she asked herself, filling in the answers to questions she did not understand.

When her pencil snapped on question 2, she almost lost it.

------------------------------------------------------------

Heading home with a hung head and a heavy heart, Kagome tried to absorb the beautiful scenery around

her. Cherry blossoms twirled and danced all around like graceful butterflies. The sun spilled itself between

the trees and glittered on the concrete sidewalk giving it a new life. Children laughed in playgrounds and

adults greeted each other on the street. It was another beautiful day in Tokyo.

Climbing the steps to her house, Kagome decided that she would take a nice, long bath when she went inside.

Then, she would watch tv for a bit, do her homework, listen to music and eat something she loved. The rest

of her family was gone for a week at a shrine event in Osaka, so she had the place to herself.

Facing the front door, Kagome fished around in her bag for the key, then froze. It wasn't in the pocket where

she had left it!

Frantically, she searched the rest of her bag but had no luck.

Then she noticed a tiny hole in the bottom of the key pocket.

Kagome fell to her knees and began to cry. Her only house key was gone and no one else had one! How

would she get inside without breaking a window?

Her black hair curtained her face as she cried. This was one of the worst days she had ever had, and she just

wanted it to be over.

"What did I do to deserve this? I can't get in my own house! I wish Mom, or Grandpa... or ANYONE was

here to help me!"

"Psst... hey."

Kagome's head jerked up at the sound of a male voice hovering near her head. Her eyes met with the oddest

looking boy she had ever seen.

Silver-white, very long hair blew in the wind wildly and a slightly cocky grin lit up his golden eyes. He was

actually quite handsome, with a strong, slightly lanky build. Broad shoulders gave way to a strong chest, then

tapered down to his slim hips and long legs. The stranger was attired in all black, which gave him a

sophisticated and dangerous air.

And he was dangling her house key between his fingers.

"Looking for this?"

His voice was deep and appealing, wrapping around Kagome and making her dizzy.

"Yes, that's my key! Thank you for finding it for me!" She snatched it from his hand and inserted it into the lock,

relief flooding through her at the echoing click.

"Ahem."

Kagome turned back around to face the strange boy who was watching her with a grin.

"Um... yes? May I help you?"

"No no, the question is, may I help YOU?" His teeth glittered in the sunlight.

Kagome frowned, not knowing what the stranger was getting at. "I don't think I understand.."

"Well, you DID ring, and I came. Just as asked."

"What do you mean 'I rang'?"

"Let's see, how shall I put this... you called, I answered? You sent an invite and I R.S.V.P.'d? You summoned

and I appeared? You wished and it was granted?"

"Ok, ok I get it! But, I still don't understand.."

He smirked, hands on his hips.

"Why, Miss Higurashi, it's your lucky day, because I am your very own guardian angel."

------------------------------------------------------------

SLAM!

"Hey, c'mon now, that's no way to treat your heavenly guidance counselor. Open the door."

"No!"

"You don't believe me, eh?"

"No," Kagome yelled through the door. "You could be a psycho! Go away before I call the police!"

A pause.

"I don't think there's any point in doing that."

Kagome slowly turned to see the man from the front stoop standing in the kitchen doorway, leaning against

it in a casual manner.

So she did the next logical thing. She screamed her lungs out.

"Shut up! Geez, you are being difficult!"

His hand was suddenly clamped over her mouth and he held her flailing body still.

Kagome fought her hardest to escape from his strong grasp, but all she managed to do was fling herself back

into his solid chest. And after several more failed attempts, she told herself to calm down. She would never

escape from his arms by throwing a fit.

"Now, I'm going to let you go. I know you will want to scream as soon as I do, but please don't, because you

will only embarrass yourself in the end. I'll just disappear as soon as the police arrive, and reappear when it's

convenient, just as I did when you closed the door on me."

She looked up at him with only marginally frightened eyes.

"Now, I'm going to let you go and explain who I am, why I'm here, and how I did the door trick."

The man's strong arms gently loosened and Kagome was free. She whirled around, prepared to scream, but

thought better of it when the stranger's face frowned in warning.

"See? I'm not hurting you. I'm not stealing from your house. I'm not kidnapping you. So please, just calm

down and let's talk."

Reluctantly, Kagome sat in a nearby chair as he sat in the one opposite from her. Palms on his knees, he

leaned forward and gave her a serious look.

"Now, I am your guardian angel. When you asked for help, I came down to give ya a hand."

"There's no such thing as 'guardian angels', everyone knows that! Are you crazy?"

He smiled as if he heard this sort of thing day in, day out.

"Then how did I do the door trick?"

Taken aback, Kagome suddenly realized that she had no clue how he had done that. It had happened too

quickly for him to have come in through a window.

"Exactly," the man said, "I did it because I am an angel, and I can do those things."

"If you're an angel, then are you dead?"

"Yup."

"When did you die?"

"Way back in the feudal era."

"Why are you wearing those clothes, then?"

"I figured my old outfit would scare you off."

"Angels have their own closets," Kagome remarked sarcastically.

The stranger angel just shrugged.

"You helped me, so why are you still here?"

"Man, you are 'Miss Twenty Questions' today, aren't ya?"

"Just answer me!"

"I'm going to stick around for a few days, probably until your family gets back, and help you out. I know you've

been under a lot of stress lately, and now that you have the house all to yourself, you have tons of added

responsibilities. So, that's where I come in."

Kagome stared. "You came down from heaven to help me clean the house."

Another shrug. "If ya want."

"You'll do dishes, sweep floors, wash windows, and cook meals for me."

"If that's helping you, sure."

A thought suddenly entered Kagome's head. "You'll... stay in the house all day?"

"Naturally."

"Where will you sleep?"

The angel smirked. "I don't technically have to sleep, but I'll stay on the couch when I'm not helping out, like a

good little angel."

Kagome seriously doubted that this angel had ever been good. He had the attitude of someone who had seen it

all; someone who had faced death head on and laughed in its face.

With a sigh, the boy got to his feet and stretched his arms above his head, giving Kagome a surprisingly kind smile.

"Any other questions, Kagome?"

"Yes... what's your name?"

-----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday

-----------------------------------------------------

-Inuyasha (Eenoo-yasha) - A frightful, demon-like creature from the Feudal Japanese era, said to have incredible

strength and a fierce stubborn streak. Legend states that Inuyasha fell in love with a human priestess, which led to

his eventual downfall when said priestess pinned him to a tree with a holy arrow. Legend also says that Inuyasha

will remain on the tree for eternity. see also - KIKYOU.

----

-Kikyou (Key-kyo) - Feudal Japanese priestess with strong spiritual powers who protected a sacred holy item

from demons and humans alike. Legend says that when Kikyou was betrayed by her demon lover Inuyasha, she

was attacked by power-hungry demons and killed. In a burial ceremony, her ashes were mingled with the remains

of the item she protected. see also - INUYASHA.

----

Kagome slammed the book shut, startling other patrons of the library nearby. Ignoring the glares thrown her way,

she stomped out of the building, quickly walking towards home.

Yesterday, the stranger had told Kagome that his name was Inuyasha. The name seemed vaguely familiar to her,

so she came to the library, leaving the boy at her house. And now the historical dictionary said that Inuyasha was

a demon! If she believed what he had said, she had a bona fide demon living in her house. A DEAD demon!

It was almost too much for her to take in.

Kagome had never believed in all of this supernatural hocus pocus, but what if it was real? What if this whole thing

wasn't some crazy dream, and she had a demon angel in her house 24/7?

And weren't angels supposed to be dressed in white with beautiful wings and carrying harps?

Inuyasha did not fit the common description of angels. Not by a long shot.

He was a smart-aleck for one, acting like he knew everything and everyone else was wrong. He certainly looked

like a demon with that strange hair and crazy gold irises that seemed to see right through a person to the soul

hidden within. And he dressed like a biker punk!

Approaching her front door, Kagome vowed to make Inuyasha PROVE that he was the real deal. _'No fancy _

_door tricks this time.'_

With a bang, Kagome threw open the door, prepared to start a fight. However, the sight that lay before her

rendered her completely speechless.

The blue vacuum cleaner whizzed past at a frantic pace, sweeping the carpet of its own accord. A lone rag was

wiping the windows clean, then rewetting itself in a nearby bucket. Pictures were dusted by a floating duster and

plants were being watered by a flying watering can. Books and magazines rearranged themselves in shelves and

on tables, and Kagome swore that she could see dishes in the kitchen sink cleaning themselves.

And the ringmaster of the parade was nowhere in sight.

But Kagome knew where to find him.

"INUYASHA," she yelled, storming into the living room and glaring at the black clad form lounging comfortably

on the couch watching television and ignoring the vacuum cleaner now sweeping in front of him.

"Inuyasha, what the HELL is going on in here?!"

"Tsk tsk, one shouldn't take hell lightly. Nasty place."

"You know what I mean! What's going on?!"

Annoyed, Inuyasha looked up at her with a serious look. "I'm trying to watch tv."

With a frustrated scream, Kagome went to the tv set and switched it off.

"Hey!"

"I want to know why these things are moving by themselves!"

"Cuz I told them to?"

"That's not an answer!!"

A sigh escaped Inuyasha. "Look, it's part of my helping around the house. I'm cleaning, is that so hard to

understand?"

Stunned, Kagome collapsed onto the recliner.

"Then... it's all real... you really are an angel..." The enormity of the situation overwhelmed her.

"In the flesh, so to speak."

Kagome glanced over at his form stretched out on the couch, a cocky grin on his face. This was the real deal,

and nothing could have prepared her for it. She had no idea what to do next.

Chuckling, Inuyasha jerked a thumb in the vacuum's direction.

"Much better than fancy door tricks, don't ya think?"

-------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday

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Kagome tried to adjust to the idea that she was now sharing her house with an unearthly being.

It wasn't easy.

After school on Wednesday, Kagome invited a popular girl in her class, Riku, over to her house, and that's when

she discovered that no one else could see Inuyasha. Apparently, he made himself invisible to everyone but her

and he loved to try and play pranks on the living.

Riku thought Kagome had lost her mind when she had tried to introduce her to someone who wasn't there.

Kagome flamed red, embarrassed. She wanted to make a good impression on Riku, since she was so well-liked,

and things weren't off to a good start.

Inuyasha found it all hysterically funny. When Kagome talked to Riku, he made faces at her from behind Riku's

head. When Riku reached for a book, he kept sliding it out of her way, cackling evilly when she finally gave up.

He sang a lewd song around the oblivious girl, enjoying the red face of Kagome when she paid attention to the

lyrics. Doors closed themselves and windows opened. Electronics came to life and the lights flickered.

Riku had finally had enough of the weird incidents and practically flew out the front door.

Inuyasha fell back on the couch, laughing.

"I never thought she'd leave! What an annoying girl.. and again, the couch is mine!" More laughter.

After several moments of silence, Inuyasha peeked over the couch to see why Kagome was standing in the

hallway. He thought she would be hurling insults at him by now.

She was crying.

"That was so mean, why did you do that?!"

Furious with tears streaming down her cheeks, Kagome ran up the stairs to seek refuge in her room, slamming

the door and throwing herself on the bed, burying her face in a pillow.

After a few minutes, a gentle hand came to rest on her back, and a weight creaked on the bed.

"Go away."

"I'm really sorry Kagome, I honestly didn't think you'd get so upset."

"You embarrassed me in front of one of the most popular girls in school! Now she'll probably tell everyone that

I'm a crazy person in an even crazier house!"

Quietly, Inuyasha spoke in soothing tones. "It doesn't matter what she says, those who count themselves as your

real friends won't believe any of it.

"You wouldn't understand how it is in school, Inuyasha. It's brutal!"

"C'mon, it can't be all that bad.." His hand moved to her hair, stroking it softly.

"It is..."

They remained silent for a few minutes, until Kagome registered what was really going on.

Inuyasha's thigh was an inch away from hers and his hands were on her hair, moving in a soothing pattern.

A boy... in her bed.

Even is he WAS dead, he was still male!

Kagome quickly sat up. Bad idea.

Inuyasha's eyes met hers across the short distance, and a tenderness in them brought the air from her lungs. He

cared that she was upset.

Ever so slowly, Inuyasha's hand slid from her hair to her shoulder, where it rested.

Without thinking, Kagome covered his hand with her own. It was warm.

"How... how come you can touch me, and I can feel you? You feel..."

"It's my choice."

His eyes studied hers, as if he had no idea who she really was. As if he was seeing her for the first time.

Kagome's eyes unwillingly rested on his mouth. Inuyasha's top lip was thin, but well-shaped, and his bottom lip

was full. His mouth was made for that sarcastic grin that seemed to always lie there, even as he watched her now.

Inuyasha caught the direction of Kagome's gaze and his hand dropped as if he had been burned.

His eyes quickly shifted away, and he stood, voice gruff.

"Again, I'm sorry I embarrassed you. I won't do it again."

And he disappeared, leaving a bewildered Kagome lying on her bed, staring at his vacant seat beside her.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sitting high in a cherry tree outside Kagome's window, Inuyasha leaned his head back against the trunk and

sighed. It was all wrong, it wasn't supposed to turn out this way.

He was only supposed to be here for a week and clean a house, not sit and stare into her eyes and feel such a

pull at the vulnerability in them that he had to leave immediately. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Angrily, Inuyasha crushed a handful of cherry blossoms in his fist as he stared out at the setting sun.

Nothing was fair when you were dead. You yearned to live again and experience everything again and perhaps,

fall in love again and be happy.

Never had he felt that ache so strongly as he did today.

Not even when he first knew he was dead, did it hurt this much. He remembered how he had stared at his body

pinned to a tree, looking as if he were in a deep sleep. His soul couldn't take the captivity any longer and finally

departed. He felt betrayed, but it was also something that he knew would eventually happen. A demon and a

priestess. Everyone knew that it would end this way, with death.

Inuyasha visited Kikyou's grave, but he could hardly remember her. What had drawn him to her in the first place?

Why had he loved her? He couldn't conjure up any memories now. Perhaps the moments you used to cherish

were lost after your body was gone.

He knew he had loved her though. And he knew that Kagome resembled her greatly.

Inuyasha had watched over Kagome for a long time. He hadn't minded being her guardian angel, since she

seemed to need little protecting. He had seen every laugh. He had seen every tear. And he had watched her

grow from a sweet little girl into a beautiful young woman.

Releasing the blossoms from his hand, Inuyasha watched as they floated away on the wind, like memories that

faded with time.

_'I'm dead, damnit. I am dead.'_

With a deep sigh, Inuyasha left his perch for the couch inside the house.

-----------------------------------------------------

Saturday

-----------------------------------------------------

The storm to end all storms was approaching Tokyo, and fast.

Saturday afternoon broadcasts were interrupted to flash warnings of high winds and heavy rain. It was going to

be a fierce thunderstorm and everyone was advised to stay indoors.

Kagome immediately ran outside despite the enormous gray clouds hovering above. She began closing the

shutters on the shrine and securing the shrine bell on its rope. Then she ran to the prayer tree to gather the white

ribbons tied to its branches.

The wind howled around her as she worked, whipping her hair around her face. Drops of rain started to fall,

soaking through her jeans and tshirt and causing her to shiver from the cold.

"KAGOME! What are you doing out here?!" Inuyasha was suddenly beside her, glaring like a reprimanding

parent.

"WHAT??" The wind drowned out his words

"I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Kagome gestured to the prayer tree. "I HAVE TO GATHER THE PRAYER RIBBONS OR THEY'LL BE

GONE!"

Inuyasha grabbed her wrist. "NEW ONES CAN BE PUT UP! YOU HAVE TO COME INSIDE NOW!

ARE YOU CRAZY?"

"I'M ALMOST DONE!"

"COME ON, THIS STORM'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!"

Kagome shook her wrist free and stretched to reach the last few ribbons tied to the higher branches. Her

fingers grazed the edge of one, but she still couldn't quite reach it.

_'If I can just get a little higher...'_

"DON'T YOU DARE CLIMB THAT TREE!"

Inuyasha's strong hands pulled Kagome down by her hips.

"I HAVE TO GET THAT LAST ONE!"

"DAMNIT, I'LL GET IT!"

Quick as a cat, he climbed into the tree and pulled the ribbon free, just as a jagged bolt of lightning struck above

him, drowning out Kagome's startled scream.

An acrid burning smell filled the air as one of the thick upper branches of the tree snapped and began to fall over

Kagome.

"KAGOME, LOOK OUT!"

Her piercing cry was cut short when Inuyasha's body propelled her forward and away from danger. Holding her

to his chest, he rolled to a stop on the rain soaked ground, the branch landing with an echoing crash nearby.

-----------------------------------------------------

Soaked, cold, and shaking in fear, Kagome buried her face in Inuyasha's chest as he lifted her in his arms and

rushed her inside. He took her to the sofa, where he sat with her in his arms as she cried in realization that she

could have been crushed under the enormous branch.

"Shh.. it's ok now, Kagome."

His lips grazed the crown of her head as his hands rubbed her arms, trying to infuse warmth into her. He was

soaking wet, but he couldn't feel the water. He could, however, touch Kagome, and even though he couldn't feel

the cold that emanated from her skin, he knew she must be freezing.

"C'mon, you need to change out of those wet clothes."

Carrying her gently up the stairs, he entered her bedroom and placed her on the bed as if she was made of

porcelain and he was afraid of breaking her. Opening drawers, he pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants and long

sleeved yellow shirt, turning to Kagome and offering them. But Kagome hadn't stopped crying from the shock,

her hands covering her face.

Inuyasha carefully sat beside her and grasped the hem of her soaked shirt at her waist and began to pull it upward.

"Stop, w-what are you d-doing?!"

He looked at her shocked face with a sad smile. "I'm helping you get changed so you don't catch cold."

She continued to stare at him through her tears, stunned at his sudden intimate touch.

"I promise you, Kagome, that helping is all I'm going to do. Nothing more."

Gently, he pulled the shirt over head and tossed it onto the floor where it made a wet splash on the carpet. Sliding

the new shirt over her head, he instructed her to take off her bra.

"What," Kagome gasped, her tears fading away.

"Just do it under your shirt. It's soaked too."

Kagome's face flushed a violent shade of red when she realized what he must have seen, but she did as he said and

quickly added the bra to its wet cousin on the floor.

Wordlessly, Inuyasha handed Kagome her sweatpants. Face still crimson, she ran into the bathroom and shut the

door, changing with eyes wide.

_'What's going on here?'_

"Kagome," Inuyasha's voice called from the other room. "bring a towel when you come out."

Yanking on the ties of her pants, she grabbed a towel and took several deep breaths before opening the door.

Inuyasha calmly sat on the bed, clothes and hair miraculously dry.

"C'mere."

Kagome slowly walked towards him, relinquishing the towel to his open hand.

"Now, sit down and lean back."

She had no idea what he was getting at, but she sat beside him on the bed and leaned her head back. He took

hold of her shoulders and gently lowered her until her damp head was in the towel resting on his lap.

"What are you doing," Kagome asked quietly.

"Drying your hair."

His hands kneaded her scalp gently through the terrycloth and Kagome found herself closing her eyes and

sighing against her will. It was like a massage as the water began to collect in the towel. Her shoulders were

braced against his legs and her neck rested against the thick cloth of his pants, while her head lay beneath his

stomach. Kagome knew if she opened her eyes, she would find him watching her.

Inuyasha continued to dry with slow, thorough motions. Kagome looked peaceful and content in his lap, and

she reminded him of a pure angel. Not a tarnished one like he was.

An emotional string pulled in his chest and he had to stop himself from clutching his shirt and trying to release

its grip. This girl he was sent to help and protect was starting to become more than just his charge. Kagome

was beginning to mean something else in his eyes.

As if an invisible force was guiding him, Inuyasha lowered his head and placed his lips lightly over Kagome's,

despite the voice in his head that warned him to stop. He slowly pulled back.

Her eyes flew open and she stared into his, watching the colors swirl in their depths as he looked at her with an

emotion that she couldn't quite comprehend. Something big had shifted in the air moments ago, and her head tried

to grasp at the remains of the change and replay it in her mind. All she could see, however, were the golden eyes

locked with hers.

But she didn't move away, and when Inuyasha's lips found hers again, she responded. His kiss was slow and

searching, but was filled with so much feeling, that Kagome felt fresh tears prick at the corners of her eyes. His

long hair brushed her cheeks softly as his hand caressed her cheek lovingly. The kiss deepened into an experience

that Kagome knew would remain with her until her dying day, and she raised her hands to move his face closer

to her own in a silent invitation.

Effortlessly, Inuyasha guided her to an upright position in his arms, his mouth never leaving hers.

Somewhere in the dark recesses of his mind, he knew that what they were doing was wrong and would only lead

them to heartache, but he couldn't move away from this girl anymore than she could distance herself from him.

For the past two days Kagome had ignored the angelic being cleaning her house and relaxing on the living room

couch, silently watching tv. Tears continued to slide down her cheeks as she thought of how much time they had

lost, of how many hours brought them closer to his leaving. She had just discovered something so precious and so

rare, and she was going to have to give it all away in one day. Kagome didn't question fate, this was all meant to

happen; destined to be. But the fact that he had to leave her was a cruel twist that left a stab of pain in her heart.

When she tasted salt on his lips, Kagome opened her eyes to meet with Inuyasha's. Tears had fallen down his

cheeks to mingle with her own.

"...Inuyasha?"

With a quick jerk, he twisted away from her to face the window. His voice was quiet and hollow of emotion.

Where warmth once had been, a wall of cold air now lay between them.

"I have to go," he said, disappearing through the glass into the raging storm on the other side.

Kagome lifted the towel from her comforter and stared at it before her tears overcame her and she muffled her

sobs in the cloth.

------------------------------------------------------

Sunday

------------------------------------------------------

Sunday morning's clouds blocked out the sun, lingering remains of the storm from the previous day. Tree

branches and debris lay scattered everywhere on the damp ground. Mud coated the sidewalks. Battered

cherry blossoms littered the streets. And water was everywhere.

Kagome sat on the couch, drinking tea and staring at the silent television set. He hadn't come back, and she

wasn't sure if he ever would. She had awoken this morning with the hope that he would be sitting beside her,

smiling confidently as he told her that he would never leave her side, and she had no say in the matter

whatsoever.

_"Every day I'll be waiting for you at the front door when you come home from school, so you'll never _

_have to worry about a key again,"_ she could hear him saying. _"The house will be clean, your family will _

_love me, and even when the cherry blossoms have all fallen and disappeared, I will still be here to _

_welcome you home."_

Inuyasha had rushed into her life on Monday morning and had slowly stolen her heart through the week.

But he was dead; he was a demon and an angel, and she was only a human. How could she be with him?

How could she even ask him to stay?

The phone rang shrilly beside her, and Kagome picked it up halfheartedly.

"Hello?"

"Kagome, it's your mother. How is everything at home? We heard about the storm, but the phone lines were

down, so we couldn't call. Is everything ok?"

Kagome suddenly had the urge to cry again when she heard her mother's worried voice. But she forced herself

to sound as normal as possible, swallowing back her tears.

"I'm fine Mom, everything's just fine," she said, thinking; _'Everything's wrong, Mom! I fell in love with an _

_angel, and he's leaving me today and I don't know how I'm going to handle it.'_

"Really? The housework's not been too much for you, has it?"

Kagome choked. "N-No, it's been fine."

"Are you okay, Kagome? You sound upset."

"Really, I'm great. The storm kept me awake late last night, and I'm just tired." _'That, and the nightmares _

_that haunted my dreams. He was leaving me.'_

"Okay sweetie, well, we'll see you there later tonight. We're about to board the train right now."

"Okay, love you Mom, and I'll see you later."

"I love you too. Goodbye."

"Bye..." _'I wish you could tell me what I'm supposed to do...'_

-----------------------------------------------------

_'I can't do this'_, Inuyasha repeated, looking towards the sky miserably. _'I can't leave her; I can't say goodbye.' _

He waited for the answer to come, but it didn't. He had no choice but to go to her one last time.

_'I have time, I can't do it now,'_ he thought, staring at the clouds. _'I have to at least try.' _

_'I wish you could tell me what I'm supposed to do...'_

With a deep sigh, he kept his eyes towards the heavens and mentally pleaded with the power above.

_'I know I was only sent here to help Kagome out for a week, since I am her guardian angel and all. But, I_

_never thought it would be like this when I met her face to face. Why did you appoint me to her if you knew _

_that I was only going to fall in love? I've been watching over her for years, and now I'm going to have to _

_continue that when I know that I will never be with her again. I'll have to watch her fall in love with _

_someone else, get married.. have someone else's children, and know that I'm powerless to stop any of it. _

_How hard will it be when I see her face looking towards the sky and know that she's wondering where I _

_am and if I'm watching her.. thinking about her, and asking myself 'what if'?'_

Tears that he couldn't feel leaked from his eyes and fell at his feet. He could already sense that the wings were

returning, waiting to guide him back.

_'I know I've been a jerk many times before, and no one was more shocked than I was when I made it to _

_heaven. But, I have never felt more like a jerk than when I hurt this girl I protected. Never have I wanted _

_to be a better person for someone else than when I'm near her. Please, can't I have just another day with _

_her? I'm begging you! Let me be here to protect her instead of up there! Hear the wish of a guardian _

_angel this time, and please, please, just consider a day more. Please...'_

But Inuyasha's pleas went unanswered. The wings were stretching, the feathers glad to feel free again.

And so he entered the house again for one last time.

-----------------------------------------------------

"You're back? I didn't think.."

"..that I would come back, I know. But here I am."

A sad smile on his face, Inuyasha took a seat beside Kagome on the couch, bracing himself as she hugged him

fiercely. His hand slowly stroked her hair, trying to memorize the sensation of touch it brought to him.

".... Don't go..."

Kagome held on, whispering the words into his chest as if directing the request to his heart.

"... I need you..."

"I'm sorry, Kagome, but no matter how much I want to stay, I can't. I'm not meant to remain in the land of the

living anymore than you are meant to be with a fallen spirit."

His words crushed her, but she continued to hold on. If Inuyasha had to leave, he would take her with him,

because she wasn't letting go. She was never letting go.

"It's almost time," he whispered softly.

"No..."

"I'm sorry I made you cry..."

"Please...!"

Inuyasha gently pulled her arms away just as a translucent pair of white, feathered wings began to appear behind

him, stretching upwards in the direction of heaven. Light started to spill between the backs of his hands, landing on

Kagome's arm and causing her to gasp. His smile began to slip.

"No!"

"Let go, Kagome. You don't need a demonic angel like me anyway. You deserve better."

"No, I deserve YOU!"

With a feather-light touch, Inuyasha brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Aching to feel his hair one last time, she

brought her hands up only to have them slide through the back of his head and land on her own face.

Eyes wide, she shook her head.

"No..."

"Thank you for allowing me to be your guardian angel."

"But I didn't-"

"Yes, you did. If in the back of your mind you still hadn't harbored the belief that angels really do exist, you never

would have seen me. I wouldn't have met you on Monday. And I thank you for that, Kagome."

"But I didn't believe in-"

"Bye, Kagome..." The gold eyes didn't spark at the sad smile on his face. The glow surrounding him became

brighter, blocking her view.

And then he disappeared, as if he fused with the air and floated away on the wind, like a cherry blossom. Kagome

could still feel the warmth where he had been, but her body turned cold.

He was gone, gone forever.

---------------------------------------------------

An hour later when Kagome's family opened the front door, her mother was shocked when her only daughter ran

into her arms crying as if her heart had been broken in two.

"Kagome, what's wrong?!"

"I believe, Mom! I b-believe!"

---------------------------------------------------

Wednesday

---------------------------------------------------

She didn't rise from her bed for the next two days. Kagome refused to go to school on Monday and Tuesday,

complaining of a headache and sore throat, which was partially true. She was exhausted from her tears, and when

they finally dried up, she stared at the ceiling from her bed, telling her mother that she wasn't hungry.

When her mom threatened to call a doctor to come see her, Kagome left the room that brought the memories of

him and went downstairs to be with her family. She was pretending as hard as she could that everything was normal

and all right, and that she had been in bed for a cold. It was a strain to smile.

She forced herself to go to school on Wednesday, and was surprised when Riku greeted her warmly with an

invitation to stay at her house that weekend. Kagome politely declined, pretending again to be sick, and Riku

nodded in understanding.

And so Kagome went to her classes, though she hardly paid attention to the lessons. Teachers, after noticing how

depressed she seemed, took pity on her and called on other students to answer questions. Lunch came and went,

as did P.E., and then the final bell came, sounding the end of another school day.

Clutching her schoolbag in her hands, Kagome was painfully reminded of everything as she was walking home.

_'It's exactly the same, cherry blossoms floating, children laughing. It's another beautiful day in Tokyo. But _

_when I walk up my front steps, mom will open the door if I've lost my key. The carpets will have already _

_been vacuumed and the dishes already washed by her hands. The wet clothes will have been washed and _

_dried, neatly folded on my bed. And the couch will be vacant except for maybe Souta, who sits upright on _

_the sofa instead of stretching out on it to watch tv.'_

And suddenly, the front steps loomed in front of her.

_'This is harder than I thought.'_

Walking slowly and moving one foot at a time, Kagome began to climb the steps, hearing his words echo in her

ears.

_"No, no, the question is, may I help YOU?"_

Fresh tears threatened to spill out of her eyes, and her hand shook as she held it above the doorknob.

_'He's not on the other side.'_

Jerking her fingers away, Kagome took several steps back and stared at the door.

"Inuyasha... I miss you. This is harder than I thought it would be, and now, I can't even open the front door

because you won't be there to welcome me home."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she told herself that she could, and would go inside.

-

-

"...I just wish you were here, Inuyasha."

-

-

"Psst... hey."

-

-

Kagome's heart ceased to beat inside her chest and her breathing stopped. She must have been losing her mind,

if all she could hear were his words. But the voice echoed from behind her and footsteps approached.

"A little bird told me that a pretty lady was making a wish for help around here, and being the gentleman that I am,

I couldn't resist trying to grant it."

In a slow turn, Kagome's eyes widened. Silver hair. Black clothing. The gold irises that sparkled in the sunlight.

The lips that were made for the smirking grin.

The grin that now lit his face as he looked up at her from the blossom covered steps below.

"Inuya-"

"Consider the invitation R.S.V.P.'d."

In two strides he had her in his arms, holding on tightly. She clung to him, feeling his arms, his back, his face,

reassuring herself that this was no illusion, and that Inuyasha was really here. His hair was blowing in the breeze

and his breath drifted onto the skin of her cheek. He was warm.

They stood there for several moments, without talking, just holding on to make sure they were alive.

"Are you real," she asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes."

Inuyasha buried his face in her hair. He could feel her warm skin through her shirt. He could feel the wet tears

sliding down her cheeks. He could feel her silky hair brushing him. And he could smell the cherry blossoms around

them.

Gently, he pulled back, plucking a rosy petal from her dark hair.

"I'm not just dreaming this?"

"No, you aren't dreaming."

"But, how...?"

Inuyasha smiled.

"My wish was granted."

"Your wish? ... Inuyasha!"

Kagome hugged him tightly, enjoying the warm, safe feeling that surrounded her in his arms. She could feel his lips,

soft, warm, and real, catching the tears that coursed down her cheeks.

"You're staying?"

"Yes, that is, if you don't mind that I have to manually push a vacuum cleaner around now, or wait for someone to

open the door to let me in. And if my couch is still available."

She laughed tearfully at him, leaning into his hand as he brushed the drops away.

Looking towards the heavens, Inuyasha again gave thanks from the bottom of his heart.

Kneeling down, Kagome lifted her bag from the steps and linked arms with Inuyasha, heading for the door.

"What will you tell your mother when she asks you how we met," he asked with a sly grin.

"The truth, of course." Smiling, she opened the newly sewn pocket on her schoolbag.

"You're my guardian angel," she said, dangling the house key from her fingers.

Inuyasha smiled.

"Why, Miss Higurashi, it's my lucky day."

-End.

* * *

Reviews accepted and appreciated! 


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